Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titilandus
by sweet bitter belossom
Summary: Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon.
1. Indescribable dreams

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ok intro note.  
  
This is my story, and I happen to like the way it is written. I hope you guys do to, but if you feel the need for any reason to flame, then I warn you that it will be directed toward the brick wall on the far side of the room then locked in a box that you have to be Houdini to open, and dropped into the ocean. That aside feel free to review all you like. Another point: a lot of questions are going to present themselves, but EVERYTHING is answered eventually. And I mean everything. The story isn't going to be drawn out but it isn't going to be short either. Oh and lastly everything is there for a reason. If there is something in here that seems out of place, it's not. It all leads to something eventually; I just like to keep people guessing. Ok that's it, go on and read.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 1: Indescribable Dreams.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Joy.  
  
Indescribable joy.  
  
It was finally happening, and he marveled at his own brilliance.  
  
Perfectly executed of course, he would expect no less.  
  
"We have all of them my lord"  
  
A sniveling wizard came to kneel behind him, fear radiating off him, and choking the air like a pollutant. Fear. He wouldn't tolerate it if it wasn't directed at him. Fear ultimately led to respect, and respect was a necessity if you were the ruler of an empire.  
  
"You had better have"  
  
A voice from his right. Strong and un-wavering, just like her nature. Neither Beauty nor ugliness graced her looks. If her life had gone a different way she would have been one of the people on the street that one passes and takes no notice of.  
  
Soft features, but plain. Simple hazel eyes, and honey brown hair to her shoulder blades, usually left to fall about her pale face.  
  
She followed little in the formality side of things, and dressed to match her looks. Simple black robes with a blue cloak falling freely over the top.  
  
Her wand, her only defining feature, engraved with the finest silver into the complicated characters of a foreign language long forgotten.  
  
Her nature was her defining attribute, and reminded him of his thirst when he was younger.  
  
Her life had not gone a different way, which was a grace to him. No one could simply pass her and not notice, the air around her demanded it.  
  
"Yes Lady Vitani, All the ones who were in the castle are neutralized"  
  
A look unreadable crossed her features briefly as the sniveling wizard moved to stand and she turned around to face him, her features the same eerie calm that none ever saw through.  
  
"In the castle" she whispered. "Were all of the rebels in the castle?"  
  
"There, there is no, no way of knowing, La- Lady Vitani" The wizard stammered, falling back on his knees as his lord also turned to watch the preceding, his face concealed in the shadows of his hood. His lord's eyes however were not on the Wizard.  
  
"And why is that, Weasley?" Vitani asked her hand straying to her side.  
  
The trembling wizard's hood fell back to produce a young face, pale against his brown hair and dark eyes. The unique of his brothers, it was a mystery where his looks had come from, his family always putting it down to a dormant gene. He was the only dark haired child unlike the traditional red the three sets of twins, his younger siblings, possessed.  
  
"Malfoy manner had charms that not even we could see through" he said hurriedly. "We guessed, that they were all inside, it was a scheduled meeting, it was logical my Lady"  
  
"Your family has never been strong with logic Weasley, so that explains part of how Malfoy and his son escaped with the lords daughter, but not the part why I haven't killed you yet" Vitani's voice was the crescendo of a whisper as she finished, leaving the sentence hanging in mid air.  
  
"You are supposed to be a death eater, what do you have to say about your disobedience?"  
  
William Weasley stood on his feet and slipped his hands into his pockets as he bowed before the proud lady, his face changing from the petrified expression to one of proud anger as he pulled his wand from one pocket and a dagger from the other.  
  
"Eat this" he sneered as he disapparated, leaving the dagger in her throat, it's hilt shining silver through the blood that was running freely over Malfoy family crest engraved where the poisonous blade met the hilt. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she fell back into her lovers arms. He was clearly as surprised as she was, as he threw his hood back and stared into her eyes, his own, uncharacteristically filling with pity and tears.  
  
"Avenge me love" she choked as blood dribbled out her mouth, scarlet, but stained black from the poison that seeped from the blade. He nodded and kissed her hand that was growing cold. He stared into her hazel eyes that were staring back into his own with so much fear. She was almost gone and he found he could say and do nothing. It was as if her eyes were praying that if she tried hard enough she could hold onto him and not be drawn into the darkness beyond, but this was one battle that she would not win.  
  
"Did you love me?" she whispered as he kissed her again and closed his eyes against his tears.  
  
"Yes, you were my only love" he whispered as he gathered his courage and opened his eyes again. She was gone.  
  
Rage.  
  
Indescribable rage.  
  
Death eaters were apparating all around him, wanting to know the cause of their lords anger and falling silent as soon as there eyes met the scene. He cared little. He was consumed in his own rage.  
  
"I want him found" he roared looking around at the circle of bewildered faces. He hated them at that moment. He hated them for not obeying him straight away. He hated them for not knowing what he was talking about. He hated them for not feeling the pain that he was feeling. He hated them all.  
  
"I want them all found, and all slaughtered!" Grasping the hilt of the dagger he pulled it free of Vitani's throat, causing a cascade of blood to erupt from the wound, seeping both Vitani's corpse and his own body in the dead woman's poison polluted blood. "Go, now all of you!"  
  
The death eaters were terrified out of their wits. Their lord had lost his mind and none wanted to linger in the presence of the enraged wizard any longer than was required.  
  
"Weasley's" he said as the death eaters started disappearing, not really caring where, but away from their deranged lord. Nine wizards paused upon being addressed.  
  
Their lord stood and he clapped his hands twice. Four House elves appeared beside him. He signaled to the body as he did with most of the bodies that found themselves lifeless and upon the dark lord's floor, but actually gave directions as to where the body was to be buried.  
  
"I want Viviana's mother buried in the grave beside her" he said as the house elves bowed and disappeared with Vitani's body.  
  
"Sorry my lord, I had no idea that you wife had died" Ventured one of the nine wizards that were left. The only ones left.  
  
"She hasn't Charlie" He said curtly as he pointed his wand at his robes and cleaned them. The men in the surrounding circle looked like they wanted to be violently sick, but restrained in the presence of their lord. Such an action, especially in his current state of mind would not end in a pleasant evening for any of them.  
  
"My lord you asked us to remain, what would you wish us to do?" Charlie ventured. He and his twin Arthur were the oldest under William and were mainly assigned to talk to their lord. Fred and George ran their mouths too often and the youngest Ronald and Percy never spoke in the presence of their lord. They didn't have the nerve to.  
  
"Yes I suppose I did" he said turning his wand to point at the oldest set of twins. For a moment he paused, his wand lingering between them both. Which to choose? Which was the link?  
  
"Lord?" Arthur ventured nervously. Making his choice he struck. He was absolutely correct.  
  
Thirty years previous, Draco Malfoy say bolt upright in his bed, shaking and soaked in a cold sweat.  
  
"Potter" he whispered to the silence of his bed room. "Merlin Harry, what have you done?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	2. Breakfast Of Ears

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 2: Breakfast Of Ears  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Breakfast in the great hall had never been this miserable.  
  
Or this empty.  
  
Eleven remained in the cavernous hall, all merged into one table, and eating in silence.  
  
After a fitful night of doing anything but sleeping, the last thing Harry felt like doing was eating, and by the look of the people around him, they had all suffered a similar fate.  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny sat with professors Flitwick, Sprout and Sinistra, with a few students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw looking at their breakfasts as if they were being forced to eat rat poison. Hermione was the first to act. Pushing her plate away she sighed and slammed her hand down on the table.  
  
"It's four days till Christmas, I can't stand everyone sulking about" she huffed as everyone's heads snapped out of their personal thoughts.  
  
"Your quiet right Hermione dear" Professor Sprout sighed putting on a weary smile. "Christmas should be a cheery time regardless of what is happening beyond the castle walls"  
  
"It just seems wrong that Dumbledore isn't around" Ginny sighed as she forced a piece of egg into her mouth and swallowed it grudgingly.  
  
"Where is he incidentally?" Hermione asked as Harry and Ron looked at the other students then back to Hermione fiercely. She knew as they did, that it was forbidden to talk about any business of the order around other students and guessed, that was Dumbledore's present thorn in the side. It had been for the past hundred times Dumbledore and their other professors had been deprived of them.  
  
So the reply of Professor Sprout caught them quiet off guard.  
  
"He is in his office having breakfast with some very important guests" she shivered as all the students looked up at her, curious of the look on her face. "I don't doubt one minute that's why you lot are so gloomy today"  
  
Harry begged to differ, but as what his professor had said dawned on him, he realized that the air was indeed colder and their was a great deal less of the innocent happiness that was usually brought to the table by the other students.  
  
Apparently it had dawned on the others as well.  
  
"Professors do you mean to say that Dumbledore is having breakfast up in his office with Dementors?" Hermione asked as the students stared forebodingly at the roof. All except Ron who snorted into his plate while mentally picturing the Dementors having tea and crumpets with the old professor while listening to the birds sing and chatting about the weather.  
  
"Yes dear, with professors McGonagall and Snape" Professor Sinistra sighed as nearly headless Nick floated through the center of the table staring at the students and trying to smile.  
  
"C'mon dearie's lighten up" he said as the students gaze turned back to the table. "They will be gone soon"  
  
In a vain attempt to make them laugh he pulled his nose as he blew a raspberry making his head flip onto his shoulder. A few Hufflepuffs tried to laugh but far from improve their mood, the view of the severed tendons and raw flesh did little for their appetite.  
  
"Thank you Sir Nicolas, but I don't think that is the best view to see at breakfast" Professor Sinistra sighed looking slightly pale as the ghost flipped his head back into place looking rather indignant.  
  
"Well I'll be off then" he said rather pompously before floating out of the hall through the ceiling.  
  
"We best be going as well" Harry said standing up as Hermione and Ron joined him. "We have a lot to do today"  
  
"Alright dearie's, but remember the grounds are of limits until eleven today, then back in before three" Professor Sprout called after them as they crossed the hall and walked out the door.  
  
As they sprinted up to Gryffindor tower in silence, Harry thought bitterly about the restrictions on his day. Since the world finally accepted the return of Voldemort, the ministry had applied harsh restrictions on most public locations, not forgetting about dear old Hogwarts. Seven Aurors were patrolling the grounds at all times and no one was permitted anywhere near the forest. The times that students were allowed outside also shifted daily, to make it hard for any planned attack to take out students due to the randomness, and even students, though mostly Slytherins, were searched and monitored in case they should revolt and join the darkness.  
  
"Think they have found the ears yet?" Ron asked breathlessly as they climbed a staircase, snapping Harry out of his thoughts and back to the present.  
  
"Hope not" He grunted in reply as they reached the top and sprinted the last corridor until reaching the fat lady's portrait.  
  
"Pink Pimpernel" Hermione said before the woman had a chance to ask for the password.  
  
Practically leaping through the portrait hole, they ran through the common room, leaping over furniture before making for the boy's dormitory.  
  
"Can I just put on the record again, the fact that I think this is wrong" Hermione said as Ron rolled his eyes before diving under his bed and pulling out three pairs of Fred and Georges extendable ears and three contact lenses, another of the twins inventions, that allowed you to see as well as hear through the ears.  
  
"Only if you add after it the fact that we don't care" He said as he handed the ears out. Hermione was about to reply, but her sentence died on her tongue as she heard voices through the ears.  
  
"Azkaban free" rasped the cold voice of a dementor, making the three Gryffindor students sit down in shock. Harry recovering first, he took his glasses off and slid his contact lens across his eye, the view of Dumbledore's office sliding with it. Shutting his other eye before he became disorientated, he focused on the scene and vaguely heard Ron giggle something about the crumpets sitting on Dumbledore's desks, before turning his attention back to the ear that was now speaking again, this time with the voice of professor McGonagall.  
  
"Yes we understand that is what his aim has been for a long time, but he has lacked the resources so far to do it" She was sitting on Dumbledore's right and did not flinch as she looked at the four Dementors that stood before his desk, but still, Hermione noted, was holding her wand rather tightly.  
  
"Soon" rasped another dementor who seemed to be the leader. As he spoke, Fawkes ruffled his feathers at the sound and fluttered over to Professor Dumbledore who pet the golden bird reassuringly.  
  
"Any idea when?" Professor Snape asked tapping his wand with his fingers nervously as one of the hooded faces turned in his direction.  
  
"Soon" another dementor confirmed sarcastically.  
  
"I still wish to know" a silky voice muttered from the far dark corner, just out of sight of the Gryffindors ears. "What the price you mentioned for your help in all this is"  
  
"Azkaban's Souls" the first Dementor snapped as Dumbledore's emotionless face hardened.  
  
"I can not allow that" Dumbledore said firmly as the attention of the Dementors, that had been drifting around the office, snapped back on him.  
  
"Criminals free with Voldemort, or Criminals dead" all four snapped, filling the room with so much fear that even the eavesdroppers could feel it.  
  
"Their crimes as harsh as they may be, do not warrant death" the silky voice purred, still in the shadows of the door. Seeming enraged the Dementors muttered angrily between themselves.  
  
"Then no deal" The leader hissed as he and his company started for the door. None of the people of the room moved to stop them. As they made there way out the door the leader paused glaring through his hood at the company of the room as an Auror came to stand beside him.  
  
"This school will be next, and we promise, it will fall" He hissed maliciously as Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"I take pity on the poor souls they send in to try and take this school" He said slowly, his aura of authority drowning the effect of the Dementors anger.  
  
"It will fall, we promise" The dementor sneered taking a step back into the room. At this movement, Snape and McGonagall stood either side of Dumbledore and rose their wands warningly. Rethink his position the dementor turned back for the door.  
  
"We promise" he said before stalking out the door, Auror in tow. As soon as he was gone Dumbledore sat back in his chair wearily, and Snape and McGonagall lowered their wands.  
  
"That went as expected" The silky voice from the corner said as Dumbledore flicked his wand at the curtains, closing them and blocking out the sunlight, rendering the ear's eyes useless.  
  
"Yes, as you predicted earlier" Dumbledore sighed as footsteps approached the desk.  
  
"Then you will heed my warning?" the voice asked as Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"No Viviana"  
  
"Then spare me blame when this castle falls" Viviana said before a loud pop announced her disapparation.  
  
"She may be of an untrustworthy nature, but I don't think, that in this instance, she is lying" Snape ventured as McGonagall's wand opened the curtains again.  
  
"No, you wouldn't would you" McGonagall snapped earning a scathing look from Snape.  
  
"Enough" Dumbledore said as Fawkes let out a single note of annoyance. "This needs to be taken care of first, then we can discuss legacies"  
  
"Yes Headmaster" Snape said grudgingly not at all looking like he had dropped the subject.  
  
"I need the both of you, to go to your contacts and confirm dates" he said as both of the professors activated technically unregistered portkeys and disappeared from his office.  
  
"And you three will see me in my office at four his afternoon" Dumbledore sighed in the direction of the hidden ears. "Privacy respected please"  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione, tore their contacts out and dropped the ears to the floor as if they burned.  
  
"Do you think he meant us?" Hermione asked worriedly as an owl tapped loudly at the closed window. Ron shrugged as Harry opened the window letting the owl in and taking the note it dropped on his head, before it flying off.  
  
"Nah I don't think so" Ron said as Harry read the letter and sighed.  
  
"Yes he meant us" he said, tossing the letter to Hermione.  
  
"Privacy respected please" she read as Ron kicked the ears guiltily under the bed.  
  
"What do you suppose that means?" Harry asked as Hermione sighed.  
  
"Don't tell anyone obviously" she said sitting down on Ron's bed. "But that aside, how could someone disapparate out of Dumbledore's office?"  
  
Ron and Harry exchanged looks.  
  
"It'd figure that we learn about, the potential freeing of Azkaban and the potential fall of Hogwarts and she'd be wanting to know how a spell worked" Ron snapped earning a glare from Hermione.  
  
"Ron, if she could disapparate out, that means that not all of Hogwarts defenses are up" Hermione scolded. "That is more un nerving than a couple of Dementors threatening something that we already knew"  
  
"I wonder who she was" Harry said distracted, earning a strange look from his friends.  
  
"Viviana?" Ron asked as another owl flew in, dropping another letter in the middle of them. Hermione blinked as the bird landed on the bed head beside her and gave her a glare.  
  
"That's Malfoy's eagle owl" she said grabbing the letter before Ron or Harry had a chance to.  
  
"Hermione your joking, why would he send a letter to me or Harry" Ron said moving to snatch the envelope out of her hands.  
  
"It's not addressed to either of you" she said disbelievingly as she wriggled back further out of Ron's reach. "It's to me"  
  
"I don't trust it Hermione, give it here" Harry said reaching out for it.  
  
"Grow up Harry, why would he sign it with his name, if it were going to kill me?" she said tumbling across Ron's bed and moving to Harry's as the owl flew in front or the boys to stop them following her.  
  
"Stupid bird" Ron snarled picking up one of his pillows and swinging it at the owl, knocking it to the ground.  
  
"Ronald Weasley, honestly!" she snapped stuffing the letter down the front of the robes and moving around the bed to pick up the owl, that was dazed and hooting feebly from his spot on the floor.  
  
"It's only Malfoy's" Ron said as Hermione picked it up gently and made for the door.  
  
"It may be owned by an arrogant prig, but that is no fault of – Ouch!" Hermione gave a start as the Owl dug it's talons into her arm indignantly and Harry and Ron laughed.  
  
"You were saying" Ron asked as she gave a huff and walked out of the room, heading for her dormitory.  
  
"Girls" Ron sighed as Harry sat on the end of his bed.  
  
"So what do you think?" Harry asked after a moment.  
  
"About what the Dementors said?" Ron glance around the room finally noticing the cold feeling was subsiding out of his chest. "I don't know Harry; I don't think there is much we can do about it"  
  
"Not Azkaban, we've know Voldemort would strike at that place sooner or later, I mean the school"  
  
Ron suppressed a shudder, still not used to the dark lord's name spoken so openly.  
  
"I don't know Harry, I think we just have to be alert, watch for strange stuff, you know what I mean?"  
  
Harry nodded and sighed. "Yeah I guess your right"  
  
"C'mon, I'll verse you in a game of chess before we go outside and throw rocks at the squid with Tonks" Ron said as Harry smiled. Tonks had been one of the Aurors assigned to patrolling Hogwarts grounds and knew almost as much about Hogwarts as the marauder's map.  
  
"You sure we shouldn't go check on Hermione?" Harry asked frowning as Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"She'll be fine, she will probably end up killing the bird anyway." Ron said dismissively, not really understanding Harry's true concern, but Harry followed him anyway.  
  
Ron was right she'd be fine. Moving down to the common room, he sat opposite Ron as he set up his pieces, his stomach suddenly filling with dread about the coming meeting with Dumbledore this afternoon. Resolving that nothing could be done until then he turned his attention back to the chess board.  
  
"Knight to E3"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	3. Dangerous Owls

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 3: Dangerous Owls  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
To Miss Hermione Granger,  
  
Gryffindor tower,  
  
Hogwarts.  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
Hermione stared at the front of the letter as she sat down on her bed. Carefully she turned it over and looked at the wax seal, branded with the Malfoy family crest. It wasn't a fake, but why would Draco Malfoy of all people send her a letter?  
  
Curiosity getting the better of her she ignored all of the ways she had learnt letters could be trapped in her fourth year when she had received hate mail and broke the seal. Nothing happened.  
  
Almost feeling let down, she took the letter out and unfolded it. The parchment was very fine and, she guessed, was part of a writing pad, due to the faint imprints left from the letters before it.  
  
At the top of the page, was the Malfoy family crest again, glowing gold and obviously enchanted. The ink was a shimmering dark blue, and also enchanted to glitter, giving the feeling that the person who wrote it had either cared about the person they were sending It to, enough to waste ten minutes on spells or were extremely bored and wanted something to do.  
  
Taking in the fact that Malfoy would generally favor a piece of slime on his shoe over her, she took it to be the latter.  
  
Finally turning her attention to the words she quickly read the letter as the bird was getting impatient.  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
To Granger,  
Don't flatter yourself with the ink; it was the only one I had that was cheap enough to waste on you.  
  
I write to arrange a business meeting, between us, with you as the liaison for Potter, Weasley and Dumbledore and I speaking on behalf of my household. You want information? So do I. I'll exchange if you will. Tell any of the afore mentioned of this meeting, and it will become void. It is going to be today; you arrange the time and I will send the portkey to front gate. Hurry up and reply, I won't wait for long.  
  
Signed: Draco Malfoy  
  
Reply here:  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
"Arrogant prat" Hermione said to herself as she glanced at the bird in case it decided to avenge its master's reputation again. When she decided it wasn't going to move, she looked for a quill. Not knowing quiet why she felt compelled to go along with this and ignoring that nagging little voices in her head that were warning her of every conceivable trap, she finally found a quill and took out her best ink.  
  
She dipped her quill and held it poised over the parchment, thinking about her answer. As much as obeying the command of Malfoy was unappealing, she did see his point. If Harry, Ron or even Dumbledore got wind that she was leaving the castle, let alone going somewhere with Draco Malfoy, it would become expressly forbidden in a matter of seconds.  
  
Suddenly an idea struck her. Scribbling her reply hurriedly, she read it over twice for spelling mistakes before folding it back up and giving it back to the owl.  
  
"Take it back to your master" she said as she let the Eagle owl out of her window and watched it soar off over the snow covered trees of the forest out of sight, silently reviewing her reply over in her head.  
  
She would have been stupid not to accept the offer, even if it was extended from Malfoy. If he wanted information he would get it, but it was going to come at a cost. If there was any way that the order could get a foot up on information from the other side, she wasn't about to ignore it just because of a stupid schoolyard grudge.  
  
Deciding that there could have been at least three more insults that she could have added in her reply, but realizing that there was not much to be done about it now, Hermione smiled and closed her window, moving to the chest at the bottom of her bed and opening it, staring down into her own personal library.  
  
Hermione smiled at the memory of it. She had got the idea in her fourth year of Hogwarts and although it was technically and strictly not legal, she had found a way to loosely copy the idea and still keep within the realms of the law. The chest was actually the size of an amphitheatre from the inside and was lined from top to bottom with a copy of almost every book in Hogwarts library, with a few exceptions she had personally bought, or written herself.  
  
It was her escape, and no one, not her other room mates, the professors or even Harry and Ron, knew about it, and right now, that was where she needed to be. Hermione figured it would be at least an hour before Malfoy finished seething over her letter and had calmed down enough to reply, so she had plenty of time to stuff about, and think about how to ask him the questions that were currently jumbled in her head, and get a halfway decent response.  
  
So it came as quiet a shock when his owl appeared a moment later, tapping furiously at her closed window.  
  
Shutting the chest quickly, she marched over to the window and threw it open in a rather annoyed air. How could he have replied so fast?  
  
Taking the note off the owl she didn't bother opening the resealed envelope carefully this time, simply ripping it off and tossing it to the floor as she unfolded the note. As soon as her eyes fell on the paper, she couldn't help but laugh at the abrupt change of attitude, but it died in her throat as soon as she saw the results of the questions that she had asked.  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
Dear 'Mudblood' Granger,  
Fine. Front gates, four this afternoon if you absolutely insist that it can be no other time. Answers: Yes. No. And Yes. Have an absolutely rotten day.  
  
Regards,  
  
An Arrogant Prat.  
  
P.s: There, normal enough for you?  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
The answers were as she expected, but at least in the case of two of them, not what she wanted to hear. Taking her quill she scribbled 'fine' on the bottom of the parchment and gave the letter to the owl, practically throwing the poor creature out of her window.  
  
Closing it and locking it she turned to the wooden chest that had felt so comforting before she had received the letter back.  
  
Now it just looked like a cold and uninviting box.  
  
Looking at the time keeper on her bedside table, she sighed. It was only nine, which meant the grounds were still off limits for another two hours, restricting the only activity that she felt like doing.  
  
Walking through the snow.  
  
Sighing, she snatched her copy of 'Hogwarts: A history' from her bedside table and decided to go for a walk up to the astronomy tower and read. At least it would give a feeling of the outdoors, even if she wasn't walking around the grounds.  
  
Hurrying down the stairs and through the common room, Hermione avoided Ron and Harry's gaze, although rather pointlessly. They were both so entranced with their game that they hardly noticed her pass. Rather annoyed at the fact that they were ignoring her, she paused behind Harry's chair and watched the board that held their attention so completely. " I bet you three of Fred's fake wands that you don't win again" Ron grinned as Harry considered his pieces.  
  
"Two out of three?" Harry said moving his knight as Ron nodded and shook Harry's hand before frowning.  
  
"Hey your knight can't do that" Ron burst out as Harry's knight destroyed Ron's queen.  
  
"Yes I can, the pieces don't move if you tell them to cheat, that move is within the rules" Harry shot back as Hermione sighed and moved Ron castle.  
  
"Check mate" she said turning on her heel and walking out of the common room as Harry and Ron stared dumbfounded after her.  
  
"Have you ever seen Hermione interested in a chess game?" Harry asked turning back to Ron as the portrait door closed.  
  
"Have you ever seen Hermione win a chess game?" Ron countered back as Ginny walked past and rolled her eyes.  
  
"She's a genius, do you think she couldn't play or something?" Ginny asked exasperated before starting for her dormitory.  
  
Harry blinked. Today was turning out too strange for his liking, and with the way his year had gone so far, that was saying something.  
  
"I should have just stayed in bed" Harry sighed as he picked up his chess pieces and started to set them up again.  
  
"I hear you Harry" Ron muttered doing the same. "So three out of five?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	4. Hogwarts: A History

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 3: Hogwarts: A History  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
Hogwarts: A History, chapter six:  
  
The four founders  
  
The teaching of magic has no official opening date. Historians can trace the family lines of the four founders back as far as two hundred and twenty B.C, and are almost positive that the founder's pre family taught magic, but Hogwarts was the first solid school that was built as a haven to the misunderstood witches and wizards of the dark ages.  
  
The four founders of the school, met quiet by accident and inhabited the already standing manor of Rowena Ravenclaw, but just moved its location and added extensions until it became the grand castle that stands today. The four founders Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin all have solid beginnings, but their demise has perhaps always been almost the extraordinary secret of the proud school.  
  
Historians confirm that on the night before Godric made the historical sorting hat to sort the children among the four houses, that all four disappeared. Coming back from their journey just long enough to set their affairs in order, all four again disappeared on the cold night of February 16th, never to be seen again.  
  
Legend has it that they wanted to have one last adventure before retiring. The resting place of the four is also a mystery, but one that will delight the imaginations of generations to come...  
  
"" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""  
  
"I wish I knew what happened on their final journey" Hermione sighed as she put the worn book onto the table beside her and stared over the balcony at the almost deserted grounds below. It had taken almost a month of research in the third year to find the complete historical listings of the adventures of the four founder's pre-Hogwarts. Some of the magic that they had known had been amazing, even by today's standards. Each had a different way of tackling problems and each solution was evenly effective. It had almost been addictive to read.  
  
Hermione sighed.  
  
Only she could have thought a book addictive.  
  
Looking over the balcony again, she checked her watch. It was already eleven and there was still no sight of any of the students. Deciding to go find out what was holding them up; she picked up her book and walked down to the Gryffindor common room, almost tripping over Mrs. Norris twice. Each time she encountered the cat she walked faster, so as not to encounter her shadow, Mr. Filch.  
  
Ever since Professor Umbridge had been sent away he had been especially sour, giving out double the detentions than usual and upping his level of punishment by letting professor Snape handle the proceedings.  
  
Another detention was the last thing that she needed at the moment. Especially with the plans that she had arrange for later this afternoon.  
  
Almost running as she reached the stairs that led to the Gryffindor corridor, she actually had to trip herself over to avoid crashing into Ron and Harry who were just reaching the bottom, but even this didn't spare them. 'Hogwarts: a history' went flying out of Hermione's hands as she fell causing Harry to duck quickly as the book flew past him and hit Ron square in the face.  
  
"Hermione are you alright?" Harry asked helping her up. Hermione didn't answer but gasped as Ron swore and held his head.  
  
"Oh Ron, I'm so sorry, are you ok?" she asked as Harry tried not to laugh.  
  
Ron rubbed his forehead angrily picking up the offending book.  
  
"No I'm not" he snapped tossing the heavy volume to her. "What did you do to this thing; put a toughness charm on it or something?"  
  
"Well there are a few charms on it to make sure that it doesn't deteriorate, and a feather charm to make it lighter, because I carry it around so often" Hermione admitted.  
  
"Didn't feel like a bloody feather" Ron muttered as Hermione inspected his forehead. Aside from a slight red mark there was nothing there.  
  
"Oh you'll live" Harry said as Hermione nodded in agreement. "C'mon let go down to the lake"  
  
Muttering something about him hitting Harry in the head, Ron followed sulkily, still rubbing his forehead.  
  
"Right well I'll see you later then" Hermione said turning to run back up the stairs.  
  
"Wait, where are you going?" Ron asked suspiciously as Harry stopped too.  
  
"Oh, I – "Hermione stopped for a moment as she pretended to bend down and tie her shoelace. "I have to go and see Professor McGonagall"  
  
"You didn't mention that before" Ron said as she straightened up, turned and started climbing the stairs.  
  
"Well I don't tell you everything that I am going to do in my day" Hermione said briskly.  
  
"See McGonagall about what?" Harry asked curious as to why Hermione was dodging Ron's questions.  
  
"I just have to have a talk to her about a spell I was having difficulty with" Hermione said off handedly as the boys started to follow her up stairs.  
  
'Right well now I know she's lying' Harry thought giving Ron a sideways glance. 'Hermione never has trouble with a spell'  
  
Ron took this time to voice Harry's exact thoughts.  
  
Bad move.  
  
"Is it essential that you know every single thing I do?!" Hermione exploded as Filch appeared behind her.  
  
"Well, Well, Well, what do we have here" he said grinning while petting Mrs. Norris.  
  
"Do you mind?" Hermione sighed exasperated as she turned to face him. "We aren't breaking a rule, go snoop around with your cat somewhere else"  
  
"Has she lost it?" Ron muttered to Harry as Hermione pushed past Filch and stalked down the hall, snapping the password at the fat lady and slamming the portrait shut behind her.  
  
"Must be that time of month" Harry shrugged back as Filch turned to look down at the boys quiet astounded.  
  
"Don't look at us were not female" Ron shrugged as he and Harry turned and headed for the main hall leaving a disgruntled Filch on the stairs.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey Hermione, what's up?" Ginny asked as Hermione practically leapt through the portrait hole and started for the dormitories.  
  
"Oh nothing, Harry and Ron are just being difficult again" Hermione smiled as Ginny nodded knowingly. Over the last year Harry and Ron had adopted the 'big brother' attitude with both the girls, keeping an annoyingly close watch on both of them. They were almost as bad as their parents, who had restricted them to the house and their bedrooms. Hermione was almost amazed that they had allowed her to return back to Hogwarts, although with all the restrictions that had been placed on the school, it was almost as bad.  
  
"Are they coming?" Ginny asked starting to put her book out of sight and getting out of her chair, about to make a run for it.  
  
"No, they are heading down to the grounds" Hermione called over her shoulder as she started up the stairs to the boys dormitories.  
  
Sighing in relief, Ginny picked her book back up and started reading, turning oblivious to the world again.  
  
Hermione would normally have felt guilty going into the boy's rooms without permission, but lately the boy's ignorance of rules and privacy had rubbed off on her. With the amount of 'detective work' they had done on Hermione and Ginny, going through everything of theirs except what was in their room (and only because the stair cases wouldn't allow them to), they deserved this and more, Hermione tried to justify to herself as the guilt started to bite at the cold feeling in her stomach.  
  
Crossing to the end of Harry's bed, she gently opened the trunk that lay there and gagged.  
  
"Boys" she muttered as she blocked her nose against the smell of dirty socks, rotten eggs, dung and lord knows what else that was drifting out of one of Fred and George's new 'Stunk Boxes'.  
  
Moving that aside and ignoring the books that were strewn haphazardly everywhere in a fashion that would have made Madame Pince have a heart attack, she reached in and drew out Harry's invisibility cloak.  
  
"Sorry Harry, but I know you will understand when I get back" Hermione sighed guiltily as she hid the cloak under her robes and sealed Harry's trunk with an un-lockable spell. "Hopefully I will too"  
  
Sneaking down out of the boys dormitory and into her own she reviewed a few hexes out of at least fourteen books, just in case Malfoy dragged her into some trouble or decided to test his own strength against her.  
  
Hermione had no doubts in her mind that Draco Malfoy was getting more out of this meeting than information, or that there would be some price attached that he had neglected to mention in his letter, and she, Hermione, would be ready for whatever he threw at her. Even a brick.  
  
Eventually the clock chimed three thirty and she sighed. This was turning out to be a bad idea. What was she thinking?! Draco Malfoy, the avid hater of Muggleborns. Add the fact that She, Harry and Ron had landed his father into the wizarding Prison Azkaban at the end of the previous year, it had been a miracle that she hadn't awoke at Hogwarts one night to find him throttling her in her sleep.  
  
Deciding that she had to do it, for the order, she stood up and hid away her books before gathering Harry's invisibility cloak and hastily scribbling a letter to the headmaster, incase she never came back.  
  
"Good chance of that" she muttered glumly as she threw the cloak over her shoulders and started down towards the grounds.  
  
She had barely reached half way when she almost tripped over professor Snape. He was walking along with professor McGonagall, talking in a hushed whisper. She checked her watch. It was twenty five minutes before she was supposed to be at the front gate.  
  
Long enough.  
  
Carefully she crept after them listening to the hurried conversation.  
  
"But he can't be that stupid, He wouldn't dare hit a target that big" McGonagall exclaimed as Snape looked around quickly for eavesdroppers.  
  
"Keep your voice down, students may hear"  
  
"But Severus, he couldn't possibly, Dumbledore – "  
  
"Scared him last time, but this time is different, he knows Dumbledore's weaker now, he knows Dumbledore has a soft spot"  
  
"But a target that big"  
  
"He has the power to open the black gates of Azkaban easily Minerva, even as we speak, the Dementors confirmed that"  
  
"But the risk – "  
  
"Minerva, I thought that you of all people would realize that this time is different, that this time he doesn't want to slink around in Dumbledore shadow but – "  
  
Hermione silently cursed herself, as Snape stopped abruptly and she almost ran into him.  
  
"What was that?" he snapped as he looked around again. Hermione held her breath as both of her professors looked around suspiciously.  
  
"I think we will discuss this somewhere more secure" Snape said as he concealed a previously unnoticed envelope in his robes and started for the dungeons, professor McGonagall in tow.  
  
Would she follow? Harry would have in an instant, but could she? She glanced at her watch. What they were talking about was interesting and knowing the rest of their conversation could help in the plans that she had, but she had no time to follow them. Praying to god that Moody wasn't on guard duty this afternoon, she crept on down to the great hall and out into the grounds, pulling the cloak tighter around her as the chill of the snow bit at her skin.  
  
"You had better be worth it Malfoy" she muttered bitterly as she started across the snow. "This had better bloody be worth it"  
  
As she reached the gate, she looked around. There was two minutes until the portkey would be activated. That didn't give her long to find it. Searching the ground she didn't notice someone appear behind her.  
  
"I believe, Miss Granger that you were looking for this?"  
  
Hermione slowly turned around and dropped the cloak. She knew that voice.  
  
"Mr. Shacklebolt I can explain-"she said as she faced the tall dark Wizard standing in the snow, holding a silver dagger out with a shining Malfoy Crest on the blade.  
  
"If you did explain, then I would have to take some action, I was mealy returning something that you may have dropped" he said passing her the dagger and giving her an almost stern look. "You were looking for something that you dropped yes? Another token from your associate that had the clumsy owl, the one that dropped this?"  
  
"Yes, thank you"  
  
"For what, I have not given you any advice yet" he said as she smiled weakly.  
  
"You are dealing with Dark wizards Hermione, they do not always play fair, and to get anywhere with one, sometimes you must deal as they do. Never surrender your trust, and always watch you back"  
  
"I will" Hermione said as Kingsley turned and started walking away. "Be careful, the journey back to the castle will be difficult, but never give up"  
  
Hermione nodded as she felt the portkey's magic begin and felt the all too familiar jerk before she was being pulled to the mystery destination.  
  
~*~  
  
Kingsley Shacklebolt watched the girl go with a heavy heart. He had notified Dumbledore at once as soon as he found out what the girl was planning, but Dumbledore had not thought the matter grave enough to be stopped.  
  
"Be careful Miss Granger, I hope Dumbledore knows what he is doing"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	5. Answers In Azka

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter five: Answers In Azka  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The swirls of colour stopped abruptly as she arrived and her legs almost buckled beneath her as she landed on the stone floor, but she still stood. Where she stood, she had no idea, the darkness was almost complete, but from the chill wind that was almost blowing her over she figured that she was standing outside.  
  
"Bout time" snapped a sour voice from the darkness. "I'll take that back now, before you pollute it"  
  
Hermione felt the dagger that she had been holding yanked out of her hand.  
  
"Hello to you to Malfoy, yes I have been having a wonderful Christmas, how about you?" She said sarcastically. He snorted in reply. "Oh what was I doing expecting a civil greeting from a Malfoy"  
  
"Watch it Granger, or you won't live to see Christmas" He said as she rolled her eyes.  
  
This was going to be more difficult than she had expected.  
  
"Lumos" Hermione muttered holding her wand before her, its tip flaring into light.  
  
"Nox" Malfoy hissed extinguishing the light. "What are you doing Granger, do you want us caught?!"  
  
Hermione's eyes were slowly adjusting to the light and she realized that they were standing in a filthy alley way. It looked inhabited, but the lack of noise was unnerving.  
  
"Where are we?" Hermione snapped as Malfoy pushed her in the direction of a faint light.  
  
"We are in the wizarding Village Azka in Murmaska" Malfoy snapped as Hermione looked at him shocked.  
  
"We are in Russia?!" she demanded as Malfoy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Shut up Granger and follow me" he said walking ahead in the semi darkness in the direction of the light, that was filtering through a doorway with an old sign hanging above it written in Russian. Just as she was about to follow him into the room, he turned and led her down another alleyway, even narrower than the one they had just left.  
  
"Put these on" Malfoy whispered pausing by another doorway and tossing her a set of velvet black robes and a cloak to match. "Tie your hair back as well, and put your wand away"  
  
"Why?!" she demanded furiously.  
  
"You don't have to, if you like, you can just start walking home" Malfoy said sourly.  
  
She decided to comply, passing beyond the threshold of annoyance in the process.  
  
"What I'm not going to pollute these as well?" she snapped.  
  
"They aren't mine, keep them" he said as she realized something else.  
  
"Malfoy just where am I going to change?"  
  
Malfoy, it seemed hadn't thought of this either.  
  
"Change here, it's not like I am going to look" Malfoy snapped turning the other way. Hermione however was not as fine with this idea as he was.  
  
"Shimist" she snapped pointing her wand first behind her then above and finally in front. A shield of impassable mist encircled her, blocking her from view.  
  
"hurry up" Malfoy muttered as she struggled into the robes, they were almost a skintight fit and decorated with a silver belt pattern at the waist before falling in almost an A-line skirt. "This doesn't look like a traditional robe" Hermione mused mostly to herself, but was replied to anyway.  
  
"It was the traditional Dress robe in Russia, The wife of the great wizards Tsar, Ivanova started the trend" he drawled in a bored tone.  
  
"It amazes me that you know that Malfoy, with a father like yours" Hermione said as she pulled the cloak over her shoulders and transfigured a piece of string that was hanging from her school robes into a ribbon.  
  
"I have a mother as well Granger" he snapped as she shrunk her school robe and put them in her pocket.  
  
"Oh so I struck a nerve did I?" she asked as she started deleting the spell around her. By the little she could see of Malfoy in the darkness, she knew she had.  
  
"Say another word on that subject Granger, and I'll leave you here for dead" he said viciously as she finished tying her hair back.  
  
"Whatever Malfoy, now what?" she asked as he looked at her appearance critically.  
  
"Raise your head high and look down to no one" he snapped starting back for the doorway of light. As they walked in the door, Hermione was about to ask what the place was, but stopped short. There was no need.  
  
It was a pub, the smell alone told her that, she didn't need to see the men sprawled over tables, drunk, cradling drinks, or in the case of at least one man that looked like he hadn't showered for a month, drowning in them. As she entered the door, she became uncomfortably aware that all the eyes in the room that were still in conscious heads had turned to her.  
  
Malfoy, who didn't seem to notice, or most likely didn't care started over to the bar and called out to what looked to be the owner. He was as tall as Hagrid, but was well shaven and had a mustache above a grimace that would have done professor McGonagall proud.  
  
"Malfoy" he said in a deep Russian accent, but his suspicious eyes were on Hermione. "Who is this fox?"  
  
Malfoy, who it seemed, was pained at hearing Hermione Granger called a fox, put on a face that made him look so much like his father, that it was unnerving. "None of your business, now which room"  
  
"Awaited in three" The bar keeper growled his eyes still on Hermione, who was beginning to feel very uncomfortable beneath his gaze.  
  
"Thank you Yuri" Malfoy snapped stepping in Yuri's line of sight and giving him a challenging glare.  
  
"Come Hermione, we are awaited" Malfoy said as he took her arm elegantly, but roughly and lead her towards some stairs at the far end of the room. As soon as they had climbed out of sight of the people below, Malfoy let go of her as if she had burned him.  
  
"Great, I need to wash my hands now" he sighed as Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hermione?" She asked as he glared at her.  
  
"That is your name isn't it Granger?" he asked coolly continuing up the stairs.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To meet someone"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The one person that I can not stand as far as I could throw her" Malfoy snapped as Hermione followed after him.  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Merlin what is this, 100 questions?!" He snapped. "Just follow me, keep your mouth shut, and don't speak unless you are spoken to"  
  
Hermione was not about to be ordered around in such a fashion and was about to inform Malfoy of the fact when she noticed Malfoy's appearance. His hair was longer, almost just beyond his ears, not slicked back as usual and he was dressed exactly the same way that Lucius Malfoy had been on the previous occasions she had seen him. He was even carrying Lucius' wand sheath that he had carried everywhere.  
  
"Yuri thought that you were Lucius" She said in a flawed voice as Malfoy kept climbing the stairs.  
  
"What of it?" Malfoy snapped but Hermione fell silent and followed. 'Interesting, very interesting' she though as they reached a dimly lit corridor lined with doors. Walking to number three, he tapped it three times with his wand and muttered something in a different language. 'Russian most likely' Hermione though as the door creaked open.  
  
"Who is it?" Demanded a voice from the shadow as Hermione followed him through the door.  
  
"It is just me Aunt" Malfoy said plastering a smile onto his face that had 'faked' written all over it. "And a- 'friend' from school"  
  
He reached in front of Hermione and closed the door giving her a warning glance as he did so. He wanted her to play along.  
  
"Your mother never mentioned that you had a girlfriend" she said cautiously as she moved slightly out of the shadows so she could see Hermione better. "A Slytherin I trust"  
  
"A Ravenclaw actually, but would have done Salazar proud" Malfoy said stepping lightly on Hermione's foot as Hermione tried not to laugh at the fact that Malfoy had to deal with the thought that Mudblood Granger was his girlfriend. "Aunt this is Nicole Déloncré, Only Daughter of one of the noblest houses in France"  
  
Hermione gave a slight bow as the woman smiled wickedly, her gaunt face almost glowing pale white in the darkness around her. She had a tangle of dark hair around her face that added to the effect.  
  
"Very well picked Draco, you will do the bloodlines proud" she said starting across the room towards them.  
  
"Now dear boy, what brings you here?" she asked as Hermione edged slightly behind Malfoy. This woman scared her. She reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quiet think of whom.  
  
"I want to know when the Dark lord will move on Azkaban" Malfoy said as his aunt shot a look at Hermione. "And where my father's cell is"  
  
"What makes you trust this witch so much" His Aunt sniffed.  
  
"Because her loyalties lie with us, and her father rots in Azkaban with mine" Malfoy said his voice as expressionless as his face.  
  
'How can he lie like that?' Hermione thought as she nodded her head once when his aunt looked at her. Suddenly a little voice knocked on the door of her brain. 'Hello, Draco Malfoy, of course he can lie'.  
  
"Why do you want to know when?" His Aunt asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because it coincides with my plans for my father" He said smoothly as Hermione gave a start in surprise as she realized what he meant. Malfoy shot her a look, but it was too late, his Aunt had caught it.  
  
"What is the matter Nicole" Malfoy asked faking concern as his eyes flashed violently.  
  
"Oh it's just-"Hermione had to cover up quickly, the look in Malfoy's eyes told her this was not the time to screw this up. "Oh my father, I miss him so, it has been dreadful without him" she cried faking a sob. "The other families are competing for our title and are tearing our families name apart without my fathers power behind it"  
  
Malfoy looked at her dumbfounded wondering how the hell she came up with a lie like that, as his aunt nodded knowingly and pat her on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh you poor thing" she said as Hermione pretended to squeezed out some fake tears. Malfoy had made lying look like something hard to do, but this came almost naturally. She wiped away the fake tears as Malfoy's aunt continued again "But I am sure that if you align your house with the Malfoy's, the pressure should recede"  
  
Hermione nodded, as she looked at the ground. Align her house the Malfoy's? If the situation had not been so important she would have laughed. Wait till Ron and Harry heard this one.  
  
"Well one problem at a time Nicole" Malfoy said as his aunt turned back to him.  
  
"Well if you are planning anything, then tonight is the time to plan it Draco, at midnight" she said going back over to the corner she had been slouching in as they had came in. Malfoy gave Hermione a slight nod to let her know to keep up what she had started, before his Aunt returned this time with her wand and two silver rings.  
  
"Draco, your father is on the third floor, that is generally where English wizards are kept, and Nicole, I'd bet that your father is on the fifth"  
  
"How did you learn the castle of Azkaban?" Hermione asked dreading the answer.  
  
"I was an occupant, because I made a stand for our lord" She said dismissively.  
  
"Black eyed peas" Malfoy muttered under his breath.  
  
"What was that Draco?" his Aunt asked as he smiled and Hermione almost fell over backward in shock. She knew very well what he had meant. Shut up.  
  
"Nothing, just thinking aloud" he said as she nodded. "Well thank you Aunt, but we must be going; we have plans to see through"  
  
"Wait, if you two are going in together, wear these" She said grabbing Draco's hand and pushing the ring on before he could react. She reached for Hermione's hand, but Malfoy intercepted her taking the ring from her.  
  
"We can organize all of this later" Malfoy said quickly as his aunt looked at him suspiciously then smiled. "Don't be modest, if you two are together, it should be nothing new"  
  
Hermione very quickly caught on to the reason that Malfoy did not want that ring on her finger and helped.  
  
"We haven't made and commitments like that yet" she said hurriedly blushing.  
  
"No better time to start" she said dangerously. "Draco, by tradition, if you don't wear it you will be disgracing all four houses, It was Mrs. Blacks wish for the rest of the generations"  
  
"I know" Malfoy said cutting his Aunt from giving them the history speech that he was determined for Hermione not to hear.  
  
"Then put that ring on Miss Nicole's finger"  
  
It was the longest wait ever for him to reach up and slide the ring onto Hermione's right hand ring finger. Suddenly both the rings glowed gold before fading back to their original colour. Malfoy and Hermione looked at each other dumbfounded as his aunt took her wand and started tracing a diagram in the air. Malfoy recovered first and turned his attention back to his Aunt, who was transferring the diagram onto a piece of paper.  
  
"We must be going, we have to be at the manor by eight and I have a few things to take care of before that" He said as his aunt handed him the paper.  
  
"Be cautious, both of you" she said as Malfoy started for the door and his aunt shook Hermione's hand. "You will make a fine recruit to our lord's cause"  
  
"Come Nicole" Malfoy said grabbing her arm in the same fashion he had earlier downstairs and leading her outside the door. "Good bye Aunt Bell" he said as he closed the door and forced Hermione quickly towards the stairs not giving her a chance to say goodbye.  
  
Suddenly something clicked in Hermione's brain. Something Harry had mentioned when she had commented of the picture of the blacks family tree that Harry kept in his photo album.  
  
"Aunt Bell?" she said quietly as Malfoy ushered her down the stairs. "As in your mother's sister?"  
  
Malfoy stayed silent, but that was answer enough. She suddenly felt violently sick. She felt disgusted with herself and enraged that she had taken no action when she had been standing in the same room as her. She had just shook the hand of the creature that had killed Harry's only hope of happiness, killed a personal friend.  
  
She had just shook hands with Bellatrix Lestrange, the cold blooded murderer of Sirius Black.  
  
She moved so quick that Draco almost missed her, but his spell hit true. She stood paralyzed on the spot tears streaming down her face as Draco moved to stand in front of her.  
  
"Let me go" she hissed as Malfoy leaned against the railing and looked at the ring that Bellatrix had put on his finger nonchalantly.  
  
"Only if you go down the stairs" he said as she glared at him.  
  
"Not a chance Malfoy, let me go"  
  
"Then no"  
  
"Do you know what she did?! Do you know who she has killed?"  
  
"I dare say she has killed hundreds of people Granger" he said examining his father's wand sheath and looking utterly bored. "But you are not about to bring her to justice"  
  
"Let me go" Hermione said again, her voice dead calm. Malfoy sighed.  
  
"As much as seeing Bellatrix wipe the floor with you would be amusing Granger, It does not work in very well with my plans" he said wiping the tears from her face with her cloak. "So this is in order I am afraid" he pointed his wand directly at her face.  
  
"You wouldn't dare" she hissed dangerously.  
  
"Watch me" he said and she knew he was serious. "Imperio" he said as her glare faded off her face and she looked rather blank.  
  
"I hate you" she muttered softly as she almost smiled.  
  
"Don't fight it Granger, or I will make this unpleasant" Malfoy drawled relieving her of her paralysis. "Now down the stairs"  
  
She didn't move.  
  
"Three"  
  
She stood still.  
  
"Two"  
  
Her body began to turn towards the top of the stairs.  
  
"I warned you" Looking like he would rather be eating slugs than this, he gave her a hard knock to the back of the head, knocking her out and gathered her into his arms.  
  
He walked down the stairs and through the bar dumped her unceremoniously on the ground outside.  
  
"Problem Malfoy?" Yuri asked as Draco walked back inside and took a pitcher of water from one of the tables.  
  
"No, the Fox just can't hold her liquor" he said as he took out the dagger again and re spelled it to a different location. Her put it in her hand and activated it as he poured the water over her face. She sat up quickly and screamed something rather justified for the moment at him before disappearing from sight.  
  
"Malfoy" Yuri called as he prepared himself to apparate to the same location.  
  
"What is it" he answered over his shoulder as Yuri tossed a bottle to him. "For your father"  
  
Draco looked at Yuri suspiciously.  
  
"Draco you are much too young to act senior Malfoy, even if I haven't met him and you carry you wand in the left hand, now go free him"  
  
Malfoy didn't hesitate. There was a loud crack and he was gone.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	6. Smack

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Note: Hey thanks to my constant reviewer's funness and natyslacks, this chapter is dedicated to you guys. Sorry I haven't updated for so long, so I'll give you two chapters to make up for it. Hope you like and please review.  
  
P.s: If anyone would be interested in being a beta reader for this story, drop me an email. My last beta reader moved to Canada, and doesn't have the internet anymore. Okies well that's it, here's the story.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter six: Smack  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'SMACK'  
  
"You are the most cold hearted bastard that I have ever met!"  
  
Malfoy stumbled as he appeared and felt a hand across his face that delivered a force that knocked him to the floor.  
  
'SMACK'  
  
"How dare you do that to me?!"  
  
His brain suddenly kicking in, he realized it was Granger.  
  
'SMACK'  
  
"I demand that you return me at once you –"  
  
"I suggest that you hold your tongue Granger" Malfoy said catching her arm as she swung at him a fourth time.  
  
"You bastard how could you stand in the same room with that –"  
  
"Language Granger" he said releasing her arm and standing up, brushing the dirt from his robes as he looked at the forest around them.  
  
"That –That thing!" she snapped correcting her course of words. "And not curse it to hell where it belongs?"  
  
"Granger, I have stood in the presence of fowler things, and lucky for you, I didn't curse them to the far flung corners of hell, or the muggle population would be considerably less" Malfoy sneered as she gave a cry of frustration.  
  
It was amusing that he was causing her so much anger and she couldn't retaliate.  
  
"Malfoy you do realize that your precious aunt killed every chance of Harry having a happy life" she snapped as he started walking along a trail.  
  
"Really?" he said, his face contorted in mock concern. "Remind me to thank her next time I see her"  
  
"Deal off, send me back to Hogwarts" She hissed as he kept walking.  
  
"Not a chance Granger, you have learnt something, now you are going to tell me everything that Dumbledore won't"  
  
"That was not something, what the hell did I learn there?!"  
  
"More than you learn in school, if you knew what to look for" Malfoy muttered walking faster and forcing Hermione to follow him, rather than risk getting lost in an unknown forest.  
  
"Like what?" Hermione snapped her anger ebbing into disappointment as she realized that he was not going to take her back, no matter what she did to him.  
  
"One, I just took you to the main staging area for the planned attack on Azkaban, If you noticed the sign above the door there was a notch in the wood in the shape of the dark mark."  
  
"I couldn't see shit Malfoy, it was dark!" she snapped as he turned back around to face her.  
  
"Don't swear Granger, it's not you" he said as she caught up to him and he started walking forward again.  
  
"How do you know what is and isn't me, you don't know me!"  
  
Ignoring her he continued.  
  
"Two, The Aurors know their plans, there were about fifteen sitting in that bar, they were the shabby looking conscious ones"  
  
"Wow, we have a natural Sherlock here"  
  
"Three, Voldemort is in Russia, if his plans are there, then so is he, I suspect in the same place Bellatrix is, she won't let him walk to far away from her at any time"  
  
"Malfoy do I even want to know how you knew that?"  
  
"Four, had you been paying attention, she had a new wand and a lot of equipment that doesn't come cheap, meaning that she either knocked off someone quiet rich, or has one of the really big families backing this, someone with quiet contacts that won't leak which means most likely the Tsar lines."  
  
"You mean you admit that there are families in the world that are better and have more wealth than the Malfoy's?"  
  
"Five, even you should have figured out that Azkaban is going to fall tonight, and without the guard of the Dementors, it will fall easily, so every Auror in a thousand miles is going to be there"  
  
"Sorry, I missed that bit"  
  
"Six, you just found out that you fall from an ancient line of Noble Wizards"  
  
"I what?" Hermione stopped walking.  
  
"The Oroborus that is linked around your finger devours those with unworthy bloodlines. I expected you killed, you're alive so the dragon sensed your ancient bloodline I suppose"  
  
And I thought it just bound us together, like a love potion"  
  
"Granger, love doesn't factor into the equation with the noble families, only blood"  
  
"So you could never love a mudblood?"  
  
"No, I marry to the great family's oath, to keep our line pure, as should you if your blood has some ancient worth"  
  
"When did this happen" she asked as Malfoy gave her a look that read 'are you stupid'.  
  
"Probably about 500 years ago Granger"  
  
"No, when did you grow up?"  
  
Malfoy, who had not expected that, looked at her suspiciously, but found nothing behind the question, except what it was.  
  
"My father's responsibilities fell to me" he said cautiously. "The rest is none of your business"  
  
"Neither are my bloodlines yours, now can we rap this up, I have to go back to Hogwarts"  
  
"Don't count on a quick return Granger, you wanted information, and so do I"  
  
"Malfoy I - "  
  
"Granger do us both a favor and shut up, I'm not going to say anything else"  
  
"When we get back to school, I am going to make you life extremely difficult" she muttered as he walked faster.  
  
"Not likely" he muttered back as she stumbled over a tree root.  
  
About five hundred ways of how she defiantly could, flooded into her mind at that moment, but she didn't voice them. She was too annoyed to argue further.  
  
Hermione analyzed Malfoy's recent words as she walked. It amazed her that in a situation like that, Malfoy could note all of the things he did. 'Suppose it comes from having Lucius Malfoy as a father' she mused looking at Malfoy's new appearance. The other part was probably that he was a Slytherin. 'He'd make an excellent Auror'  
  
Kingsley was right, if she was going to get anywhere with this, she was going to have to think like a dark Wizard, and start to notice the same sort of things.  
  
Her eyes immediately went to the forest around her. It was almost as dark as the alley that she had come from and looked much like the dark forest back at Hogwarts, except that the vegetation was different. It looked and smelled like a pine forest, but was still covered in snow, showing that where ever she was it was winter.  
  
"Malfoy where are we" she asked as there was a far off sound like a birds chirp but louder and slightly deeper.  
  
"Almost to Diagon Alley" he said as they approached a stone wall and Malfoy tapped his wand against it.  
  
"Why didn't you just spell the port key to take me there in the first place?" Hermione snapped as the wall disappeared and a doorway appeared.  
  
"The portkeys weren't registered, if I spelled it here, the ministry would have picked it up obviously"  
  
"You could have – "  
  
"Granger I am warning you one more word and you are going to end up looking worse than I did when that bloody hippogriff attacked me"  
  
"You mean Buckbeak?" Hermione grinned as Malfoy started down the street bitterly. "Oh nothing can beat the look on your face when that happened"  
  
"Granger – "  
  
"Oh wait a second, that time that Professor Moody turned you into a ferret came pretty close"  
  
"Watch it Mudblood" Malfoy sneered heading for Knockturn Alley. Malfoy was settling back into his snobby childish self and Hermione was growing cockier as he settled back into his normal state. In this state she could predict his actions, rather than his cold indifferent tone.  
  
This situation was slowly turning to her advantage.  
  
And she was beginning to like it.  
  
"So where are we going?"  
  
"Goldstep alley"  
  
"Never heard of it"  
  
"A person of you status, I'd hope not, they aren't very tolerant of mudbloods"  
  
"Malfoy, at least my blood is red"  
  
Malfoy muttered something under his breath as he stepped into Knockturn but Hermione let it slide. She had won that round; she could wait awhile until round two. Walking through the narrow alley, Hermione found she was walking quiet close to Malfoy to her almost immediate disgust, but wasn't about to stray too far from him. The looks that she was receiving from the surrounding wizards scared her.  
  
"Grow up Granger" Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Do you have five men staring at you breasts at the moment?" Hermione snapped bluntly regretting that she was still wearing the revolting skin tight robes that she had been forced into in Russia.  
  
"I'd bloody well hope not" he said continuing as Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Do as I instructed Granger, they are nothing but vultures, show them you are above them"  
  
Scowling, she held her head higher and stared down her nose at them as Malfoy had told her to. She hated acting like this, but it made them slink away a little, still not enough to make her comfortable.  
  
They walked quiet quickly as Draco led her down five more alley's, their names flashing past or concealed so Hermione gradually didn't know where she was. Suddenly she turned a corner and stepped onto marble, instead of the rough cobblestones she had trod over previous and the walls around her seemed to shimmer white.  
  
Hermione gazed in awe at the beautiful buildings of marble and gold, then the golden statues that lined the wide street. The vividly colored dress shops and café's that were dotted everywhere were a riot of colour, but the thing that attracted the most attention of all was the massive golden fountain that sat in a beautifully manicured park at the end of the alley, that look suspiciously like the fountain of magical brethren.  
  
The shops all advertised beautiful items for ridiculously high prices and in one dress shop hung a banner that read: 'Blueberry Hills: Our prices discriminate, because we can't '.  
  
Hermione guessed that only people with a lot of money would shop here and her thoughts floated to the Weasley's. The discrimination that they spoke of didn't only apply to muggleborns.  
  
"This isn't an alley it is the size of three football fields!" Hermione exclaimed looking around at the beautifully adorned people around her in very expensive dress robes.  
  
"Football?" Malfoy sneered as she remembered who she was talking to.  
  
"Oh three Quiditch pitches then" she corrected still gazing at the streets beauty. "Merlin it is so beautiful"  
  
"I guess it is from a pauper's point of view" he snapped sourly. "Now come on, I want these rings off"  
  
"I am no pauper Malfoy" she said back, not bothering to rise to his bait.  
  
"Whatever Granger, just don't drool on anything" Malfoy snapped as he continued down the street towards a shop that was full of diamond and gemstone jewelry and little crystal animals that were pacing back and forth, or smiling cutely from the window. Above the shops entrance was a diamond encrusted sign that shone beautifully in the afternoon light that read:  
  
'Wallace's fine jewelry: Only the best for the best'  
  
"Malfoy pull your head out of the clouds" she sighed as they entered the shop.  
  
"Ah but to be in Goldstep is to be in the clouds my beautiful lady" Announced a jolly voice from the counter as soon as they walked in. "For Goldstep is heaven on earth!"  
  
The jolly voice quickly became the form of a balding old man with sparkling white dress robes that took Hermione's hand and bowed, before turning to Draco and bowing as well. Gesturing to a white sofa a moment before he seated them on it, he quickly conjured a crystal tea set and a plate of cakes, before adorning Draco with six compliments straight.  
  
'Now I know where he gets the ego from' Hermione though silently as Draco's sneer almost showed how flattered he actually was.  
  
"Now what can I do for you two brilliant people today" He asked as Hermione tried to bite back a laugh. She had heard of shopkeepers sucking up to their buyers but this was ridiculous.  
  
"I want to know how to get this off my finger Wallace, and I am not going to fall for your flattery today, I am in a hurry" Draco snapped as the old man's smile lessened a bit.  
  
"I am sorry Mister Malfoy, but I don't think there is anything I can do for you" the man called Wallace sniffed, not even looking at the ring.  
  
"Come we are leaving" Draco snapped at Hermione.  
  
"Oh but Draco, I so much wanted that little crystal owl in za window, it vas just darling" Hermione said in a flawless French accent.  
  
"Perhaps another time" Draco snapped as Wallace's smile lit back up and he turned to Hermione.  
  
"Why lady you are French" he said helping her off the sofa and leading her to the window. "French woman always have the most exquisite tastes"  
  
"Merci, thank you sir"  
  
"Now which of these adorable creatures did you like again, was it the kitten? Nineteenth century design, extremely playful, or was it the peacock, the most beautiful of my collection, only sixteen made a year?"  
  
"Sir I remember zeeing an owl" she said timidly as Wallace smiled and reached down the front to get the littlest piece. As he leaned into get it Draco shot Hermione a toxic look. She ignored him as Wallace reappeared.  
  
"Hear princess, the scope owl, a rather old design, but still a favorite among the more tasteful witch or wizard" he smiled handing the tiny creature to Hermione. It pecked gently at her palm and looked up at her cutely, letting out a soft hoot.  
  
"Oh it iz adorable!" she exclaimed as Wallace beamed. "How much is it?"  
  
"Normally 15 Galleons, but for you my beautiful French princess, only ten"  
  
"Wallace, just because you are the only jewelry shop on the street, doesn't mean people don't know the worth of this junk" Draco sniffed.  
  
"Oh don't mind Draco e' is just in one oz his moods" Hermione smiled almost as brilliantly as Wallace. "I will take it"  
  
"Wonderful choice lady" Wallace beamed as Hermione pulled out her purse. Ten galleons. It was most of her savings over the holidays, but it was necessary she told herself as she followed him over to the counter.  
  
"Here Monsieur" she smiled putting the coins on the desk as Wallace smiled and began wrapping the little owl in a gift box.  
  
Stepping on Draco's foot as he opened his mouth she leaned on the desk pretending to be looking at the rings beyond the glass.  
  
"Why Draco darling, aren't those ringz simply superb" she exclaimed drawing Wallace's attention from the box.  
  
"Why if only we could get these old things off – "  
  
Hermione broke off as Wallace took her hand an inspected the ring that was on there with a frown.  
  
"Oh dear, this is rather crude for such a dainty hand, one of these would look much better" Wallace sighed gesturing to his rings then looking up at her as if heart broken. Hermione was amazed how easily this con artist could change his expression just for the promise of gold.  
  
"Yes, they are rather 'orid" Hermione sighed. "And they just won't come off! It was a nice though of my friend to give us these as an engagement gift, but – "  
  
"Oh mademoiselle, this is no good at all, now let me see" taking out his wand he poked the ring and muttered "linkin"  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"Hmm looks like a binding spell was put of them unfortunately"  
  
"Well, couldn't you just unbind them" Draco shot darkly.  
  
"No I'm afraid; this spell is not a usual one."  
  
"What does dis spell actually do?" Hermione ventured.  
  
"As much as I can tell, simply links your minds. Allows you to see each other at all times"  
  
"And will they come off?"  
  
"Luckily, yes lady, after a moon cycle" Wallace said, his mood lifting. "So perhaps you would want a better ring then, yes?" he said releasing Hermione's hand and passing her the gift box as he took the money from the counter.  
  
"Perhaps" she said as Wallace gave another smile and Malfoy started for the door.  
  
"Here lady I will only charge you seven for the owl" he said dropping three coins in her hand as Draco took her other and began to lead her from the shop. "Never forget, Wallace's jewelers, we only sell the best" he called after her as Draco yanked her roughly out the door.  
  
"That was point less" Malfoy snapped not letting go of her hand and leading her into the café next door and into one of the booths at the back. "A book could have told us the same thing and it would have cost less"  
  
Ignoring him again Hermione looked around at the café. It was just as showy as the rest of Goldstep and was decorated in shades of pastels with portraits of smiling witches and wizards adorning all the walls except the part behind the tall glass counter where a large white marble list was displaying the orders in golden letters that faded as the meal was served.  
  
"Let go of me Malfoy" she said quietly as two women from the table across stared at the two as they sat down.  
  
"Not that I minded you wasting all of your money Granger, it was still a waste of time for me" Draco snapped as a waiter approached the table.  
  
"What would you like today?" the waiter asked as he handed Hermione and Draco a menu. Hermione noted that he too was wearing the same white robes as Wallace had been and guessed they must be worn by all the shopkeepers in the alley.  
  
"Vanilla Latte" Malfoy said not even bothering to open his menu and handing it back.  
  
"You had better get some food, we won't be eating for awhile" Malfoy said as the waiter was called over by the two women opposite. When he came back it was Hermione's turn to order.  
  
"I will just have a lemon tea" she said embarrassed at the prices and putting the menu down. Even if she hadn't spent her money in Wallace's shop, she doubted if she would have enough to buy anything.  
  
"She will also have a piece of apple pie" Malfoy said as he stood up. "Now excuse me a moment Nicole, I have to go and wash my hands"  
  
Annoyed at the double meaning on Malfoy's part she almost threw her menu at the waiter that flicked his wand at the list on the wall adding her order to it before moving away as quickly as possible.  
  
"This was a great day" she muttered as one of the women across from her smiled at her before turning back to talk to the other one. "When did god suddenly decide that he hated me?"  
  
"Darling I know the exact feeling" the portrait beside her muttered, its head painted in a guillotine. The irony of the moment almost made her laugh.  
  
Almost.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Note: hey just going to drop a quick note at the end of this chapter so it's not annoying you all at first. Yes, in the first chapter I specified exactly where I would be sending any flames I would be getting in this story, but I just wanted to comment on Obsidian_Magic's review. I have no problem with critical reviews, I welcome them in fact, they are extremely helpful. But I hate nit pickers. Although I am very flattered that you bothered to review even if it was a flame. My cat thanks you, but no she didn't write it. If you have something constructive to say then review, by all means, but I am just reminding you that flames like that will be ignored. Have a nice day.  
  
Amethyst.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	7. Unexpected Allowances

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter seven: Unexpected Allowances  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Good afternoon gentlemen"  
  
The calm quiet voice of their professor drifted across the room from his desk as soon as they entered the room.  
  
Harry couldn't feel through his best friend's stomach but guessed it was just as queasy as his.  
  
By the time they reached the giant wooden desk the boys felt like they were heading for death row.  
  
"Good afternoon sir" Ron muttered from his left. Harry couldn't keep up the charade that this was just a normal visit for afternoon tea and skipped the formalities.  
  
"Sorry sir, I know we were out of line"  
  
"Out of line?" the old professor repeated as Harry looked up guiltily.  
  
"Yes sir, we shouldn't have eavesdropped" Ron added as he raised his eyes as well.  
  
"I don't see the need for any apologies" Dumbledore said as the boys blinked in astonishment. "If you had been eavesdropping on something that I had not wanted you to hear, the ears would have found themselves in the midst of many young mandrakes"  
  
"So you wanted us to know about the Dementors?" Ron asked in disbelief.  
  
"No, but you would have inevitably found out" Dumbledore looked at Harry quiet solemnly as he continued. "It was better that you found out the truth, then hear second hand information and make decisions based on guesses"  
  
Harry, who had tried quiet valiantly to continue on with his life since Sirius was stolen from him, felt a wave of sadness wash over him along with a prick of anger.  
  
Anger for not being able to save him, anger of being so foolish as to take the dark lords bait, anger for not being able to avenge his death, but most of all, anger for the fowl creature that killed him.  
  
The prick of anger suddenly became a lot bigger. Harry pushed ever though out of his mind as he fought to keep control of his feelings. He found he had been pushing a lot of things out of his head these days, Voldemort included.  
  
The malice and cruelty of the dark lord had again been proved to him with constant dreams of Sirius death accompanied by the awful laugh of the woman who had killed him. He had put occlumency before all of his studies now, even Quiditch which he had been allowed to play this year, his ban and all the other nonsense put in place by Umbridge being thrown out the door along with her awful kitten plates.  
  
"What are you going to do about it then?" Harry asked as Ron shot him a sideways glance at his tone used to address the headmaster. He ignored it.  
  
"I personally can do very little, especially as I am still at Hogwarts, but perhaps, if you wish Harry, you can be an aid to the Aurors that are working here on the case"  
  
Ron's jaw dropped to the floor and Harry sat down very quickly as the door creaked open and professors Snape and McGonagall came in, both looking as if they were not happy about the current situation.  
  
"What about me?" Ron piped up as his professors came to stand by Dumbledore's desk silently, Snape looking the sourer of the two.  
  
"I can not allow you to do anything Mr. Weasley, it was consented by Harry's guardians to allow him to participate, I rather doubt that your parents will let you participate in such a dangerous case"  
  
"The Dursely's what?" Harry asked as Ron broke out in protest and demanded he be able to send an owl home at once.  
  
"Your aunt sent me an owl this morning asking for you to be let in on more than you were last year, as it only ended in tragedy last time"  
  
"She did what?"  
  
"Your uncle added that he was quiet adamant on the idea"  
  
"I bet he heard about the risks first" Harry shot sourly as Professor McGonagall calmed Ron down and allowed him to send an owl, but only if he sent it to his mother.  
  
"So I am going to be allowed" Harry asked as Ron exploded at the unfairness of the situation.  
  
"I can find no reason for you to be stopped Harry, your Aunt was quiet right, A lack of information can indeed prove deadly when mixed with a curious nature such as yours"  
  
"What about Miss Granger?" Snape asked as Harry and Ron looked at each other. Where was Hermione?  
  
"I can't believe we forgot that she was supposed to be here as well" Ron groaned dropping his argument with professor McGonagall.  
  
"What would make her forget something as important as this?" Harry asked, more to Ron than anyone else in the room, but was answered anyway.  
  
"She is on a top secret assignment in Azka with one of our top spies" Dumbledore answered calmly as Harry and Ron both looked at each other.  
  
"You're kidding right" Ron asked as he followed Harry's example and sat down before he fell down.  
  
"What is this, James Bond?!" Harry demanded.  
  
"James Who?" Snape asked disdainfully. He had heard some of the muggleborns refer to this man before and was strangely curious of who he was, although he didn't want any of the other occupants of the room to know that.  
  
"Undercover spy, best the British had, licensed to kill, biggest Hollywood action series ever" Harry said distractedly.  
  
By the looks on his professor's faces they didn't seem to understand to concept of movies, but that wasn't the main point of Harry's focus at that moment.  
  
"When did this happen?"  
  
"Earlier, but she is not your concern at the moment Harry" Dumbledore sighed. He was not happy that the war had reached so low as to include his students. He had seen once what had happened when students had joined the order, and was not keen to relive the painful experiences again, but knew in his heart, that they had no chance without them.  
  
"Harry you will go with professor Snape and he will provide you with information, Ronald, you may go with professor McGonagall and send an owl to your family and ask if you may help" Harry, still in awe at what he had just been told, even overlooked the fact that he was working with Snape. He was finally invited into the inner circle and he wasn't going to let a grudge with a slime ball screw up his chances. As Harry and Ron moved to obey, Snape and McGonagall sent Dumbledore disapproving looks.  
  
"You will all respectfully remember that this agreement, as this situation remains at it's current state, is confined within the walls of Hogwarts, that means you two, will not leave this castle as things remain" Dumbledore said sternly as they reached the door and their professors followed. "Am I understood?"  
  
"Yes sir" they said in union starting down the stairs. Harry stopped suddenly and doubled back, poking his head in the door almost knocking Snape out of the way in the process.  
  
"Thank you sir" he said as Dumbledore looked down at his desk solemnly and Fawkes suddenly burst into flames on his perch.  
  
Dumbledore couldn't bring himself to answer and just nodded as Harry started down the stairs. It was done now. Now all that was left was to see what became of it.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	8. The Veela Boy

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this and I am evidently making no money from it so if you sued it would be rather pointless.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter Ten: The Veela Boy  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Don't even ask where this chapter came from. But it will have relevance, I promise. -_-. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Lady, your tea" A pretty blonde waitress placed the cup of tea in front of her, along with Malfoy's order. "Enjoy"  
  
"Yeah thanks" Hermione muttered distractedly, her attention across the aisle at the two women opposite her.  
  
"I can't believe he is late, the nerve of him" one snapped in a high shrill voice that reminded Hermione of a chicken, but her looks more than made up for it. Although her startling green eyes were narrowed and her brown styled hair was coming undone as she fidgeted, she still looked like a Greek goddess.  
  
"Well he is our husband, and we, as dutiful wives must wait with baited breath for his return" The woman sitting opposite her spoke in a whisper and indeed looked as beautiful as the first, but also looked as though she were hiding a death curse behind every word.  
  
"Danielle hold your breath a little longer and do us all a favor" the first woman snapped as Hermione looked at her tea pretending not to be listening to the conversation that the whole café could hear.  
  
"Christine why do you always try to lure me into your little verbal fencing matches?" The woman called Danielle asked as Malfoy appeared again in the doorway across the room.  
  
"Because I don't have a real sword handy" Christine snapped as a man appeared at the door beside Malfoy.  
  
"Ah Leonardo" Danielle smiled standing up and hurrying to embrace the man. Christine got there first and delivered a dignified slap across his face.  
  
"Your late" she snapped as Leonardo smiled.  
  
"Ah ladies, nothing you could do today, could put me in a bad mood" Leonardo cried as the women looked at him apprehensively and Malfoy sat down across from Hermione.  
  
"And why would that be darling" Danielle ventured as Christine scowled.  
  
"Because we are getting a divorce" He roared joyously as woman looked as though they had been burned. "Now let us go finalize the process hmm"  
  
"Mudblood" Malfoy muttered under his breath earning a scowl from Hermione.  
  
"What?" she asked taking a sip of her tea ignoring his childhood insult.  
  
"Not you, him" Malfoy said off handedly as the two witches who were looking scandalized stormed out of the café bickering with each other again.  
  
"How do you know Malfoy, you have never even met him"  
  
"Purebloods are bound into wedlock Granger, by strong magic, there is no such thing in the civilized wizarding world as a divorce"  
  
Choosing not to comment Hermione continued with her tea. Malfoy pushed the pie towards her.  
  
"I'd eat if I were you Granger, because you won't get another chance till tomorrow at least" Malfoy said gesturing to the piece of pie. "And I don't want to have to hear you complaining for the rest of the night"  
  
Hermione hadn't realized how late it was until she looked out the window and saw that the moon hung with stars rather than the sun.  
  
"I am not going to help you Malfoy" she said pushing the plate away. "You may be stupid enough to think that you could march through the front gate of Azkaban prison and stroll back out again untouched, but I have brains"  
  
"Granger it is as simple as this. You comply, or I kill you"  
  
Hermione was not shocked by his response. This was Malfoy after all.  
  
"You wouldn't kill me Malfoy, for three reasons"  
  
"Really? I can't think of any"  
  
"One, I am the top of the grade at Hogwarts, as if you could kill me"  
  
"Of common magic Granger, I doubt you studied the dark side in as much depth as me" Malfoy smirked as her smile faltered a little.  
  
"Two, it would be your neck, if you killed me... you would end up in a cell next to your father"  
  
"There is more than one way to kill someone and I would only be in trouble if they found out I did it Granger, and you won't be alive to tell them"  
  
What he said was true. She hadn't told Harry, Ron, or even Dumbledore where she was going. Only Kingsley knew, but how could he prove Hermione hadn't bumped into someone else?  
  
"Three, our agreement, you guaranteed my safety, you promised and purebloods don't break promises do they"  
  
It was said as a statement but Hermione meant the question. Purebloods were bound by a lot of things, were promises one of them?  
  
Malfoy's smirk disappeared as he leant back in his chair and pretended to examine his nails arrogantly.  
  
"True Granger, Purebloods don't break oaths, but I didn't promise anything" Malfoy's eyes gleamed as he looked at Hermione who stared back defiantly, But with no more effect than a kitten would have, while staring defiantly at a lion.  
  
"But you answered yes, we made a deal –"  
  
"A promise is a promise, but a deal can be compromised" he said and she knew he meant it.  
  
"Malfoy please don't make me do this" she sighed. "I will be breaking a promise"  
  
This wasn't a lie. She had promised Harry and Ron that she would never follow Harry on another suicide mission and would never walk blindly into danger ever again. If this didn't count as danger than she didn't know what would.  
  
"And I should care?" Malfoy sneered. "Granger I am freeing my father, I thought you, the bleeding heart of the dream team would care enough to help"  
  
"I sympathize, if my father was in Azkaban, I would probably do the same thing but I won't do something this stupid for you Malfoy, your father is in there for a bloody good reason"  
  
"Fine Granger, what ever you say" Malfoy said as he smiled, the most unnerving thing she had ever seen. He reached across the table and took the little owl out of its gift box, and jabbed it with his wand before he held it out to her. "If you don't want to help, here take this portkey, but you are going to regret this later"  
  
"Whatever Malfoy" she said snatching the owl off him. "And don't think that I am not going to tell Dumbledore or the others about Bellatrix and Azkaban!"  
  
"You do that Granger" he said activating the portkey. "If you survive"  
  
A sudden recognition flashed through Hermione's startled brown eyes a moment before she disappeared.  
  
"Have fun" Malfoy muttered sitting back into his chair and picking up his Latte. Pulling over the pie, he smirked. Have fun.  
  
~*~  
  
"Oh Merlin" Hermione whispered as she appeared in a pitch black clearing. There was no snow, so this wasn't the forbidden forest. He hadn't sent her back to Hogwarts.  
  
"Malfoy I am so going to kill you when I see you next!" she whispered under her breath bitterly.  
  
"Don't count on it Missy" Drawled a voice from behind her. Spinning around she almost feinted with terror. "Because darling, you won't be seeing anything beyond today"  
  
"Come now Greta, are you really that hungry" Another voice from her left growled as another one stumbled up beside her. "Eyeballs are not that appetizing"  
  
"Greta may not be, but Markl is" Another creature stumbled in to her right, indicating to something that was behind her, panting horridly.  
  
"Greta didn't say she wasn't hungry, Skrink did" The first one growled again as Hermione pulled out her wand. The four women that were standing around her, if that is what you call them, were some of the ugliest things Hermione had ever seen. That was saying something, considering that she had been schooled with the Slytherins. The women were covered in ugly grey feathers and had wicked talons for feet and wings for arms. Dried blood caked their claws and faces and they had vicious yellow eyes.  
  
"You're Harpies" Hermione whispered as the one named Skrink moved closer to her.  
  
"Yes and you are the enemy of the Veela boy" she said smiling wickedly.  
  
"You mean Malfoy?" Hermione asked as Greta dropped a feathery arm over Hermione's shoulder and Hermione had to hold her breath to prevent throwing up. She doubted they would like the gesture very much.  
  
"The Veela boy gave us directions as to what to do with you precious" the one named Markl panted. So Malfoy had expected this from the start! His voice filled her ears as she remembered what he had said moments before; 'There is more than one way to kill you'  
  
"Are you to kill me?" Hermione gulped as Skrink and Greta flew into the air.  
  
"No precious, we are going to leave that for the Mermaids" Skrink shrieked as she gripped one of Hermione's arms with her talons and Markl grabbed the other. Together they both flew straight upwards. Hermione moved her wand so she could aim at Markl, but then saw she was already thirty feet up; if she struck them from this high she would fall to her death.  
  
"You won't be needing that where you're going" Greta said snatching Hermione's wand out of her hand. Now she wasn't just scared, she was terrified.  
  
'What a stupid thing to do!' she mentally scolded herself. This was the last bloody time that she trusted Malfoy! Why had she trusted him in the first place?  
  
The country side was going past in a blur as the harpies took her further from where ever Malfoy's portkey had dropped her. The harpies made it particularly difficult for Hermione as they kept dragging her through clouds, soaking the skintight robes and cloak. Combined with the wind she was freezing.  
  
"Do you talk with 'The Veela boy' often?" Hermione asked Greta through chattering teeth. She held the little owl in her hand tightly so she didn't drop it, as her hands shook with cold and terror.  
  
"Only once" Greta said thoughtfully. "Brought us meat"  
  
"Right and will there be any chance that you will see him anytime soon?" Hermione asked as Markl and Skrink dragged her through another cloud.  
  
"Yes, confirmation that we didn't kill you personally"  
  
Despite the situation Hermione rolled her eyes. 'It would figure'  
  
"Well next time you see that slime ball tell him from me, that he is going to pay for this when I get my hands around his throat, whether it be in this life or the next"  
  
"Optimistic attitude" Skrink snorted as she looked at Markl. They were flying over water now.  
  
"Beautiful company, but you must be leaving now" Greta smirked as Shrink and Markl let go of her.  
  
Hermione was surprised that she didn't feel overwhelming panic. She felt scared and sick at the thought of what would happen when she hit the water but the last thought that went through her head was a complete surprise 'Malfoy you are dead when I get my hands on you'  
  
"Harpy Devils!" roared a voice from somewhere above her as she felt herself impact on something solid, and her head collide with a hard skull.  
  
"Princess, we shall protect you, fear not" bellowed a voice next to her as she felt strong hands pull her onto an air steed properly. Dazed she felt her wand pushed back into her hands and the beast beneath her that sounded a lot like a horse, gallop towards the ground.  
  
"Princess?" she asked as whatever she was riding make contact with the ground with a jolt and she was lifted off the steed into more arms. She had obviously been caught by a group of people with the amount of voices around her.  
  
"Tend to her; I go to slay the Harpy devils!" The voice she had heard a moment ago cried as she felt herself being carried away. Opening her eyes and trying to focus, she noticed that she was being carried by two women, who seemed to shine when she looked at them. Looking past them she saw they were taking her into a forest glade that shone with thousands of tiny lights.  
  
Woodwind instruments filtered soft music from the trees, unperturbed by the commotion in the air and the forest looked like it had been decorated for a great party. Hardly anyone was paying attention to the shrieking harpies above them. The people around her were a burst of colour. Women were all dressed in long silken dresses, and the male's, in flowing shirts and pants.  
  
"Who are you?" Hermione asked one of the women that were carrying her. "Where are you taking me?"  
  
As the woman looked at her, Hermione had to hold back a gasp. The woman didn't look any older than nineteen, but her eyes told a different story, they were a vivid green and were wizened with many ages. Her skin was milky pale and her clothes were not silk as she had thought, but made of nature. Out of her back hung beautiful, semi transparent wings.  
  
"You're a fairy?"  
  
"Indeed, I am lady, my name is Shirley, and this is my sister Barber"  
  
Hermione considered this for a moment. Fairies were not meant to be and bigger than her palm, so what were they doing as tall as a human?  
  
Putting it down to an engorgement experiment gone wrong or genetic mutation, Hermione turned back to her problem at hand "Right and where I am?"  
  
"You are in our enchanted glade"  
  
Hermione didn't bother asking any more questions as the two tall fairy folk sat her on a chair and set a goblet of water in front of her.  
  
"What is your name child?" Barber asked as Shirley smiled "Your grace gives you the disposition of a lady and your strength, the wild sprit of a warrior"  
  
"My name is Hermione" she replied blushing modestly and smiling as Shirley looked at the wand in her hand.  
  
"You are a witch?" Barber asked as Hermione set her wand in her lap and nodded. "Why did the Germ attack you?"  
  
"Germ?" Hermione asked puzzled.  
  
"Harpy colony, it's called their Germ" Shirley said passively, her eyes still on Hermione's wand. "there are at least nine Germ's in this forest, they compete with the Garou"  
  
"Garou?" Hermione had read of the Garou, but didn't think she would ever find one. "There is a Garou colony in these woods?"  
  
"There are many colonies in these woods, Garou, Kindred, Wyrm and Germ all oppose each other, and are the most common, to the east, there are Dragons and to the North, the Sidhe, our kin, weave their Magic, west are the trees of the dark and to the south, the Centaurs and Nymphs collect and tend air beasts"  
  
Hermione doubted very much that the forest that she was in at the moment would be plotted on any map. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Barber had just described a utopia for magical creatures. The pages of the books she had read night by night, came flooding into her head as the commotion above quieted and the sound of galloping came to her ears once again.  
  
"are their Veela in this Forest?" Hermione asked suddenly as another piece of information snapped into place.  
  
"Only two"  
  
"Only two Veela, and is one a wizard?"  
  
"No, the kindred, Wyrm and Germ believe there is a Veela boy, but he holds no Veela blood"  
  
Hermione nodded. "Of course"  
  
Malfoy prided him self on being a pure blood, so of course his lines wouldn't be mixed with any other creature's blood. Although his looks were enough to confuse an outsider that wasn't in touch with the earth, he didn't have the power of the Veela.  
  
"And the two Veela, what are their names?"  
  
Suddenly there was an almighty roar from the forest around her.  
  
"What now?" she groaned as the fairy's that were standing before her leapt into the air. She stumbled to her feet and held her wand tightly as the she found herself grabbed by two enormous clawed hands and thrown up into the air by something with as much strength as an elephant. She had barely started falling when more powerful claws grabbed her and she felt whatever had caught her start flying. She had only enough time to recognize that the creature holding her was a griffin before she was falling, a moment later becoming soaked to the bone as she impacted on shallow icy water.  
  
She felt it were very fortunate that she were under water at that particular time, or people as far away as Australia, or perhaps as close considering she didn't have a clue where she was, would have heard the curse she swore in the name of Malfoy. As Slimy hands gripped her arms and legs and began dragging her deeper beneath the water, she didn't scream or panic. Her past encounters had more than readied her for what ever was about to jump at her, and it came as no surprise that the creatures were mermaids.  
  
"You are Mudblood?" One that was gripping her ankle unnecessarily tight asked, as she tried to kick free. As the others tightened their grip she just let them pull her. She couldn't be bothered fighting, her lungs were burning too much with want of air. She had her wand, but couldn't move her hand enough to cast a spell, even if she could think of one. "Then you end here"  
  
Her mind flew back to the fourth year as she tried vainly to think of something that she could use. What had the members of the tournament used? Harry had used Gillyweed, but she doubted that the merpeople would have a spare piece in a concealed pocket somewhere. Krum had half transfigured himself into a shark, but had neglected to tell her how, which was an awful lot of use now as her brain decided that holding out for oxygen wouldn't suit it anymore and started trying to breath through the water.  
  
As she started choking and her mind ebbed into darkness she tried to remember what the others had used, but couldn't even remember who the others were.  
  
"Veela boy sends this" Hermione didn't know where the sound was coming from but felt a rough object pushed into her hand. As the last of her consciousness left her she felt an all too familiar jerk before plunging into darkness.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N: hey, just a note, if some people noticed that some of the names of the  
creature colony's weren't from Harry Potter I'll just write a quick  
disclaimer for the words. The Garou, Kindred, Wyrm and Sidhe are all communities of particular creatures, and I will explain what they are and where they come from in the future. Thanks for reading, and please review.  
Oh just another note, I still need a beta reader, so if anyone would be willing to help out that would be great. I apologize for grammatical and  
punctuation errors. I am hopeless with both of them. 


End file.
